Volkswagen exec reaffirms commitment to diesel: ‘Now it is absolutely clean’

[jerryfreak]

is this the same version of the EA288s in the US?

 

[vwxyzero]

is this the same version of the EA288s in the US?

Donno, maybe you could go back to the original Tweet on Twitter that this whole article is based on and try to figure out what's up with that particular VW executive:

https://twitter.com/vwschweiz/status/1159736071497740288?s=19

But you might need to brush up on your German for all the backlash to that Tweet from the German regulatory body of tweeps. [emoji854]

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

 

[bizzle]

EV's might make sense - strictly around town. Out here on the great Plains - a drive to anywhere that I need to go is at least 200 miles. I can easily go there AND back in my 2000 TDI Beetle - I prefer to refill my 2015 Golf when leaving so I don't have to fill up on the way home.


I get so many miles per tank (over 600) and drive my Beetle so little right now that I have to start thinking about winter fuel NOW - in the middle of August. I'd imagine that after my next tank, I'll think about putting PowerService white in about the middle of November (along with topping off the tank) and that will take me to Febuary. We drive the Golf more than that - but I still get 400 mile tanks on it.


EV's aren't paying their way on the transportation infrastructure of this country yet. It will be worse if the tractors for 18 wheelers start to be electric. I can see a combination of the GPS trackers for EVs AND separately metered charging stations to recover the true costs of EVs.


Part of the Infrastructure problem is that politicians keep taking money out of the vehicle taxes to use elsewhere.


And if electric drive is really so superior (I kind of doubt this), why don't large trucks adopt the same model as railroad engines - the petro motor is used to generate electricity that drives the wheels ?

Your situation seems like a perfect candidate to score a sub $15K loaded eGolf and then renting a car for those out of town trips.

It's less obvious when the vehicles already owned are fully paid for, but it's worth checking if something like that pencils out (if curious, no point if that's not the only reason).

 

[dslman]

When the elctric car thing bombs ....

Ha ha ha ha!
I'm sorry, but this made me laugh! I was just thinking what happens if nobody buys all these electric vehicles? I can see the headlines a few years from now " Electric car/truck sales much lower than predicted ... After all those billions of dollars invested!
I believe Electric would completely take over in a heartbeat if they could get rid of the batteries all together & power them some other way, such as Thorium.
Batteries are HEAVY, messy, Expensive, Wear out, get HOT, have too short a range & still cost a fortune. What happens to your 300 mile range when you have to pull a trailer? You loose almost 1/3 so 300 miles of range becomes only 100 miles of range pulling a trailer.Watch This Video
.

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

When the elctric car thing bombs

I've been saying for a while that I believe EV sales are at, or near, peak. Cost, practicality, and drivers' resistance to try new things will keep them in a niche, if that. Low fuel prices aren't helping, either, nor are companies trying to sell sedans to a market that's almost totally abandoned cars for SUVs and trucks.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think so.

 

[Hwycruiser]

I have also heard that there is not enough natural resources on our planet to make enough batteries for everyone to drive an electric vehicle.

 

[jackbombay]

I have also heard that there is not enough natural resources on our planet to make enough batteries for everyone to drive an electric vehicle.

Of the 8 billion people on the planet only a billion or so can afford a new car, so we don't need to worry about making enough for everyone on the planet, right?

 

[vwxyzero]

Of the 8 billion people on the planet only a billion or so can afford a new car, so we don't need to worry about making enough for everyone on the planet, right?

[emoji106]

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

 

[kjclow]

I have also heard that there is not enough natural resources on our planet to make enough batteries for everyone to drive an electric vehicle.

That would be based on today's battery technology. Many companies are working on lighter weight, faster charging, and longer use batteries. What weighs a 1000 pounds (just a number) today may weigh less than 100 pounds tomorrow. Just look at lead acid batteries compared to lithium.

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

That would be based on today's battery technology. Many companies are working on lighter weight, faster charging, and longer use batteries.

We've been hearing that for a long, long time. Just saying.

I was reading the current Car & Driver last night and observed that of all the vehicles tested (Mercedes AMG, new Explorer ST, Silverado Diesel, Land Rover Evoque, Mercedes GL, Porsche 911) got actual FE right around 20 MPG. In a recent comparison test of mid-sized SUVS (BMW X5, Audi Q7, Mercedes GLE), and they all got FE in the low teens in their test.

My point? Most of these cars (and trucks) sell well, indicating that this kind of FE is totally acceptable in the current environment. Not to people here, but we're not the mainstream. This is why diesels and EVs have an uphill battle.

 

[turbobrick240]

The battery tech is advancing at an incredible pace. It wasn't very long ago that my cordless tools all had bulky, heavy NiCad batteries for instance. I agree that efficient vehicles can be somewhat of a tough sell when fuel at the pumps is so cheap. A carbon tax could help level the playing field.

 

[jackbombay]

My point? Most of these cars (and trucks) sell well, indicating that this kind of FE is totally acceptable in the current environment.

And for those vehicle purchasers "Totally acceptable" is based largely on their willingness to pay the fuel bill, there is zero inherent correlation between "Sells well" and "environmentally friendly".

 

[BeetleGo]

Maxwell batteries.

 

[vwxyzero]

Maxwell batteries.

Smart battery management is already here. [emoji41]



Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

 

[oilhammer]

We've been hearing that for a long, long time. Just saying.
I was reading the current Car & Driver last night and observed that of all the vehicles tested (Mercedes AMG, new Explorer ST, Silverado Diesel, Land Rover Evoque, Mercedes GL, Porsche 911) got actual FE right around 20 MPG. In a recent comparison test of mid-sized SUVS (BMW X5, Audi Q7, Mercedes GLE), and they all got FE in the low teens in their test.
My point? Most of these cars (and trucks) sell well, indicating that this kind of FE is totally acceptable in the current environment. Not to people here, but we're not the mainstream. This is why diesels and EVs have an uphill battle.

This has always been my observation, too. Going from mostly 35 MPG cars to 50 MPG cars and/or EVs isn't a huge step. But we (Americans at large, not necessarily present company) are just fine with 15 MPG. And I tell you first hand, since we (our shop) run a small used car finder/broker deal (boss' extra little deal) and the number of pump suckers people ask about and buy is astounding. Also, stuff that you really wouldn't think would be so thirsty, is... like an AWD CRV (automatic, of course). Down into the teens around town. That is nuts.

 

[kjclow]

That was part of the reason we traded our 07 or 08 CR-V for the Golf. It wasn't AWD but still got mid to upper teens around town.

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

Also, stuff that you really wouldn't think would be so thirsty, is... like an AWD CRV (automatic, of course). Down into the teens around town. That is nuts.

One of the cars I mentioned is the BMW X2. Truly a small car, reviewers have described it as being like a tall GTI. But weighing 3,800 lbs, 20" wheels, and getting 300 HP from a 2 liter engine takes its toll. 20 MPG, on 93 octane.

Friend of mine's wife drives a Mini Clubman. Automatic, AWD. 16 MPG in town.

 

[jackbombay]

Mini Clubman. Automatic, AWD. 16 MPG in town.

That is essentially a mobile heat generator that produces movement as an accidental byproduct.

 

[Matt-98AHU]

We've been hearing that for a long, long time. Just saying.
I was reading the current Car & Driver last night and observed that of all the vehicles tested (Mercedes AMG, new Explorer ST, Silverado Diesel, Land Rover Evoque, Mercedes GL, Porsche 911) got actual FE right around 20 MPG. In a recent comparison test of mid-sized SUVS (BMW X5, Audi Q7, Mercedes GLE), and they all got FE in the low teens in their test.
My point? Most of these cars (and trucks) sell well, indicating that this kind of FE is totally acceptable in the current environment. Not to people here, but we're not the mainstream. This is why diesels and EVs have an uphill battle.

Very true. The only time they started to decline was when fuel prices remained high for awhile... Prices have been just low enough for long enough that people can seemingly justify the poor fuel economy again so they can have their large trucks and SUVs. That and credit has once again become easy to come by and the economy isn't in total shambles.

What EV does have going for it is the lack of maintenance. If they can get more range and much faster recharge times or otherwise make EVs more convenient and affordable, the lack of maintenance costs could push a number of people towards favoring them a lot like how Japanese cars first became popular in the U.S., partly for fuel economy but also due to the reputation for reliability and longevity.

Once there's a tipping point and a wide availability of good EVs on the used market along with the convenience factor being addressed, we may very well start to see a shift that favors EVs en masse.

When that might happen is a big guessing game, could be another decade. Of course if most governments have their way, no one would be able to buy an internal combustion anything after 2030 or so...

 

[casioqv]

What EV does have going for it is the lack of maintenance.

After driving around an EV for a while you notice that ICE cars are a big pile of seething greasy metal rapidly grinding themselves to dust. It's amazing how far they've come in terms of maintenance and reliability but they're still a huge pain for people that just want to get to work.

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

That's a bit of an overstatement. I own several cars that are more than 15 years old, and two that are well over 20 years old. They all work fine. And EVs, by definition, are unlikely to ever accumulate the miles that an ICE car will.

I'll preempt you mentioning the Tesloop cars, those are an exception. And back in the 90s if you talked to black car drivers in NYC, the Lincoln Town Cars they drove lasted really well, many to over 400K miles. Biggest single reason is they were never stationary.

 

[turbobrick240]

Taxi miles are hard miles on vehicles. The ford panther just happens to be an extremely robust platform. The NYC prius taxi fleets do quite well too. The Tesloop cars have gotten the EV torture test of all supercharger charging. That sort of punishing charging arrangement is very much out of the norm.

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

Actually, what I've read is the charging regime they used for the Tesloop cars was gentle on battery life. Rarely fully depleted, rarely fully charged. My daughter lived in San Diego for a year and was a big Tesloop user between SD and LA. Used to buy tickets on Groupon for cheap.

 

[turbobrick240]

I would hope they were rarely fully depleted! I would not be impressed if the driver told me I had to get out and walk. Most EV owners know to keep the state of charge between 20-80% as much as practicable. There's a couple views on how damaging it is to rely solely on superchargers for power, but I would avoid it.

 

[jackbombay]

I'll preempt you mentioning the Tesloop cars, those are an exception.

Why are the high mileage Tesloop cars not to be considered in a discussion about vehicle longevity?

 

[oilhammer]

I maintain a certain Jetta TDI that has over 400k miles, and I would argue not only has it held up FAR better than any Panther Ford in that time period, it has done so with using about a third the fuel.

Most all the old cabs have had engines, transmissions, rear ends, and countless steering and suspension components replaced. Not to mentions PILES of brakes. Dozenspeed's Jetta has needed none of that. And that car STILL feels solid.



But he clearly doesn't neglect nor abuse that car either.

 

[turbobrick240]

Well, good maintenance does wonders for a vehicle. Like Irv Gordon's 5? million mile Volvo. There's nothing magical about that car, though it is very cool. He just followed the factory service schedule and otherwise took exceptionally good care of it.

 

[redbarron55]

Well, good maintenance does wonders for a vehicle. Like Irv Gordon's 5? million mile Volvo. There's nothing magical about that car, though it is very cool. He just followed the factory service schedule and otherwise took exceptionally good care of it.

As Volvo helped pick up the tab for the work that helps as well.
If you read the instruction manual for the Volvo, decarburizing the cylinder head a every year or so and inspecting the bearings and replacing as necessary helps. If you follow the manual you will overhaul the car every few years.
I helped a friend work on his Volvo back in the 70's and in his case his wore out the oil pump shaft!
A car will run as long as you are willing an able to fix it as the Cubans have proven for 60 years.

 

[Lightflyer1]

Like the kids would say 'pics or it didn't happen'

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

Look here:

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?p=5400288&highlight=1935#post5400288

 

[oilhammer]

A car will run as long as you are willing an able to fix it as the Cubans have proven for 60 years.

... or repower it with a newer diesel engine. (seriously, loads of "classic" American cars down there are little more than bondo laden shells atop recycled Japanese diesel pickup powertrains... ever see the show Cuban Chrome?)